6 Important Resources for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Mar 20, 2020

April is the official 19th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). According to the National Sexual Violence Resources Center, SAAM is about both awareness and prevention of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. We at DLG believe that education is one of the best ways to achieve awareness and prevention of sexual assault. As a law firm with over 25 years of experience fighting for clients who are survivors of all forms of abuse, Dordulian Law Group understands how important resources like the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline can be for abuse victims. 

However, many survivors report being unaware of the existence of such options. 

One of the questions we make sure to ask every survivor who comes to us seeking to file a civil lawsuit against their perpetrator is — what have you done for support? Unfortunately, many survivors, despite finding the courage to come forward and tell their stories, have not sought support in any way and are unfamiliar with the resources that are available. 

Accordingly, we’ve put together a list of six important resources we feel anyone impacted by sexual assault should know about, understand, and utilize whenever necessary. 

Six Important Resources for Sexual Assault Awareness Month:

1. RAINN 

RAINN (an acronym for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN provides excellent information on prevention and safety, and the organization’s website offers specific warning signs for young children. 

Additionally, RAINN addresses and highlights the troubling statistics related to sexual assault such as:

• Every 73 seconds, An American is sexually assaulted
• Every nine minutes, the victim happens to be a child
• Only five our of every 1,000 sexual assault perpetrators will ever end up in prison

2. The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline

The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline is a critical resource that everyone should know and recognize. Operated by RAINN, the free hotline, 800-656-HOPE (4673), provides the option of immediately speaking with someone — regardless of the circumstances — about sexual assault 24/7 and confidentially. Calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline (or accessing the online chat option) gives you access to a range of free services including:

• Confidential support from a trained staff member
• Support finding a local health facility that is trained to care for survivors of sexual assault and offers services like sexual assault forensic exams
• Someone to help you talk through what happened
• Local resources that can assist with your next steps towards healing and recovery
• Referrals for long term support in your area
• Information about the laws in your community
• Basic information about medical concerns

3. NSVRC (National Sexual Violence Resource Center)

The NSVRC is a national information center that collects and disseminates a wide range of resources on sexual violence including statistics, research, position statements, statutes, training curricula, prevention initiatives, and program information.

Through the NSVRC’s website, you can search and find a directory of organizations and locations near where you live that offer various resources and support for sexual assault survivors.

4. 1in6.org

At least 1 in 6 men have been sexually abused or assaulted, according to the 1in6 organization, which cites multiple research studies in determining that specific statistic. Whatever the exact figure is, the issue of male sexual assault is not one that receives regular attention, which is why we’re highlighting it now (it’s also why the organization was initially created).

1in6 was founded in 2007 as a response to a “lack of resources [at the time] addressing the impact of negative childhood sexual experiences on the lives of adult men, one of many under-recognized aspects of childhood sexual abuse.” In 2016, the organization expanded their mission to include men who experienced sexual assault as adults.

1in6.org’s website offers a 24/7 online helpline and free & confidential weekly online support groups for men who have experienced sexual abuse or assault.

5. A Consent Guide 

The NSVRC has issued a sexual consent guide that essentially establishes basic rules for what proper consent between two adults should always include. Furthermore, they’ve issued a helpful prevention guide for national sexual assault awareness month. Both guides, along with a number of additional worthwhile and informative items, can be found via their resources page.

6. End Violence Against Women International

EVAWI is a nonprofit organization that hosts the annual International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Gender Bias. The conference is one of the most widely attended sexual assault awareness month events in the nation. Additionally, the group provides training in sexual assault response and investigation for law enforcement officials on a national level.

Helping Survivors Come Forward To Tell Their Stories & Obtain Justice

With the passage of California’s AB218 law, we’re seeing more and more survivors come forward to tell their stories and file civil lawsuits. 

For those who aren’t aware, AB218 is a recently passed law that allows virtually any survivor of childhood sexual abuse the opportunity to file a civil lawsuit and secure justice in the form of a financial award/settlement, even if the crime occurred decades ago. The window for survivors to come forward is limited, however, and only lasts three years. Therefore, we encourage survivors to come forward immediately for a free consultation. For a better understanding regarding all of the specifics pertaining to AB218, please see our blog post.

Although AB218 is helping to encourage many survivors to come forward, when you stop to consider that only 0.005% of sexual assault perpetrators ever end up in prison, it’s easy to recognize how important it is that all survivors come forward someday to ensure that justice is truly served. For that to occur, however, survivors need to be supported, which is one of the reasons why we’ve compiled the above list of resources for consideration.

The Dordulian Law Group Advantage

The Dordulian Law Group team has over 20 years of experience representing a disparate mix of sexual abuse survivors, both adults and children. If you or someone you know would like file a civil lawsuit for a sexual assault or abuse claim, please do not hesitate to contact DLG for a free consultation.

We are experts at navigating the law for the benefit of our clients and are keenly aware of how new legislation will impact you and influence the legal strategy we present in court on your behalf. For additional information regarding our experience and success in representing sexual abuse survivors, please visit our contact us page or call us at (855) 804-9636. We are here for you as a legal representative, an advocate, and a resource for support.

Dordulian Law Group is a firm founded by former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County and sex crimes prosecutor, Sam Dordulian, with over 25 years of experience serving as an advocate for survivors and obtaining justice on their behalf.